C.E. Williams Middle (North Campus) using bicycles to enhance students’ well being
January 19, 2022
C.E. Williams Middle School’s North Campus is excited to announce that the school will be participating in Outride’s Riding for Focus program.
Outride is a non-profit organization that provides an evidenced-based school cycling program, Riding For Focus, to improve middle school students’ social, emotional, and cognitive health.
Riding For Focus is designed to provide schools with everything they need to get their middle school students riding, including bikes, helmets, teacher training, curriculum, and maintenance through local bicycle retailers.
“We are excited to partner with Ride For Focus to give our sixth grade students the opportunity to learn bike skills and safety,” said Principal Maite Porter. “Through this grant, we will receive 20 Specialized (brand) bikes assembled by our generous business partner Ride Bikes in West Ashley. Our P.E. teachers will complete training this spring and we will be ready to kick off in fall of 2022.”
Physical activity has an impact on cognitive skills such as concentration and attention, and it also improves student engagement and behavior, all of which are important components of improved academic performance.
The program also helps children learn how to ride bikes. On average, 20 percent of students at a middle school don’t know how to ride a bike before the program. By the end of Riding For Focus, students who didn’t know how to ride feel confident.
“It’s been a challenging year and youth need a safe outlet to experience freedom and joy,” said Lauren Freeman, Riding For Focus Program Manager. “There’s no better way to do that than by riding bikes. Students need bikes now more than ever and we at Outride are committed to getting more youth on bikes. We are so thrilled to be onboarding our 2021-2022 schools.”
This is the third middle school in Charleston County School District to participate in the program. St. James-Santee Elementary-Middle School and Deer Park Middle School are in their third and second year, respectively. The goal of Riding For Focus is to establish a sustainable school cycling program that will help students succeed, as well as grow and connect the community. More than 180 schools and 50,000 students across the United States and Canada are already benefiting from the program.
About the Charleston County School District
Charleston County School District (CCSD) is a nationally accredited school district committed to providing equitable and quality educational opportunities for all of its students. CCSD is the second-largest school system in South Carolina and represents a unique blend of urban, suburban, and rural schools spanning 1,300 square miles along the coast. CCSD serves approximately 49,000 students in 88 schools and specialized programs.
CCSD offers a diverse, expanding portfolio of options and specialized programs, delivered through neighborhood, magnet, IB (international baccalaureate), Montessori, and charter schools. Options include programs in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), music and other creative and performing arts, career and technical preparation programs, and military.
